The PMI framework of project management consists of 49 processes which are categorized in 10 knowledge areas as set out in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®, 6th edition). This is based on the philosophy that project management consists of a one-off and recurring processes for which the PMBOK describes common good practices.
When you are managing a project in line with the PMI methodology or when you are preparing for your CAPM or PMP certification exam, you will need to be familiar with these processes and knowledge areas.
This article provides you with an overview of the 10 knowledge areas and 49 processes in a nutshell (source: PMBOK®, 6th ed.)
- Overview of the PMBOK Knowledge Areas
- 1) Project Integration Management
- 2) Project Scope Management
- 3) Project Schedule Management
- 4) Project Cost Management
- 5) Project Quality Management
- 6) Project Resource Management
- 7) Project Communications Management
- 8) Project Risk Management
- 9) Project Procurement Management
- 10) Project Stakeholder Management
Overview of the PMBOK Knowledge Areas
The following table contains the 10 knowledge areas and the 49 processes:
| 1) Project Integration Management | Develop Project Charter; Develop Project Management Plan; Direct and Manage Project Work; Manage Project Knowledge; Monitor and Control Project Work; Perform Integrated Change Control; Close Project or Phase. |
| 2) Project Scope Management | Plan Scope Management; Collect Requirements; Define Scope; Create WBS; Validate Scope; Control Scope. |
| 3) Project Schedule Management | Plan Schedule Management; Define Activities; Sequence Activities; Estimate Activity Durations; Develop Schedule; Control Schedule. |
| 4) Project Cost Management | Plan Cost Management; Estimate Costs; Determine Budget; Control Costs. |
| 5) Project Quality Management | Plan Quality Management; Manage Quality; Control Quality. |
| 6) Project Resource Management | Plan Resource Management; Estimate Activity Resources; Acquire Resources; Develop Team; Manage Team; Control Resources. |
| 7) Project Communications Management | Plan Communications Management; Manage Communications; Monitor Communications. |
| 8) Project Risk Management | Plan Risk Management; Identify Risks; Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis; Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis; Plan Risk Responses; Implement Risk Responses; Monitor Risks. |
| 9) Project Procurement Management | Plan Procurement Management; Conduct Procurements; Control Procurements. |
| 10) Project Stakeholder Management | Identify Stakeholders; Plan Stakeholder Engagement; Manage Stakeholder Engagement; Monitor Stakeholder Engagement. |
Read on to find a short description of each of these processes “in a nutshell”.
1) Project Integration Management
Develop Project Charter
In this process, a project charter is developed that authorizes the project and links it with the strategic objectives of the organization.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Develop Project Management Plan
The content and goal of this process are defining, preparing and coordinating all plan components,
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Direct and Manage Project Work
This process comprises leading and performing the work that was defined in the project management plan as well as implementing approved changes,
Frequency: ongoing
Manage Project Knowledge
This process describes the use of existing and the creation of new pieces of knowledge in order to achieve the project objectives and support organizational learning.
Frequency: ongoing
Monitor and Control Project Work
In this process, the overall progress is tracked, reviewed and reported to meet the performance objectives defined in the project management plan.
Frequency: ongoing
Perform Integrated Change Control
The content of this process is reviewing all change requests, getting approval for changes, and managing changes to deliverables, documents and plans. This also includes the communication of those changes.
Frequency: ongoing
Close Project or Phase
In the ‘close’ process, all activities of a project, a phase or a contract are finalized. This includes archiving project or phase information as well as releasing team resources
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
2) Project Scope Management
Plan Scope Management
The goal of this process is to create a scope management plan that sets out the framework of the definition, validation and controlling of the project and product scope.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Collect Requirements
In this process, the determination, documentation, and management of stakeholder needs and requirements are performed in order to meet the project objectives. This process helps create the foundation of the project and product scope.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Define Scope
This process is about developing a detailed description of the project and product, incl. the result boundaries and acceptance criteria.
Frequency: n/a
Create WBS
Creating the work breakdown structure means breaking down project deliverables and project work into relatively small and manageable components.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Validate Scope
This process formalizes the acceptance of the completed project deliverables. It sets out the objectivity and the procedure of acceptance of the final product based on the acceptance of each deliverable.
Frequency: when necessary
Control Scope
This process sets out the monitoring of the project status and product scope as well as the management of changes to the scope baseline. It also ensures that the scope baseline is accurately maintained and updated ongoing.
Frequency: ongoing
3) Project Schedule Management
Plan Schedule Management
This process contains the establishment of policies, procedures, and documentation of the project schedule management.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Define Activities
In this process, the actions needed to produce the project deliverables are identified and defined.
Frequency: ongoing
Sequence Activities
This process comprises the identification and documentation of the relationships among the project activities.
Frequency: ongoing
Estimate Activity Durations
In this process, the durations to perform each activity are estimated.
Frequency: ongoing
Develop Schedule
When developing the project schedule, activity sequences, durations, resource requirements, and schedule constraints are taken into consideration.
Frequency: ongoing
Control Schedule
This process defines the monitoring of the project status in order to update the project schedule as well as the management of changes to the schedule baseline.
Frequency: ongoing
4) Project Cost Management
Plan Cost Management
This process is about defining the approaches and procedures to estimate, budget, manage, monitor and control project costs.
Frequency: n/a
Estimate Costs
In this process, an approximation of the cost of required resources is estimated.
Frequency: when necessary
Determine Budget
Aggregation of the estimated cost of all activities and work packages which is the foundation of the authorized cost baseline.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Control Costs
This process is about monitoring, managing and updating actual and planned project costs as well as the cost baseline.
Frequency: ongoing
5) Project Quality Management
Plan Quality Management
In this process, quality requirements and standards are identified. One of the outputs is the documentation of how they are maintained ongoing.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Manage Quality
This process is the transformation of the quality management plan into individual activities that incorporate the quality requirements/standards into the project. Thus, it facilitates achieving the quality goals and identifying ineffective processes and causes of poor quality.
Frequency: ongoing
Control Quality
The content of this process is the monitoring and controlling of the results of quality management activities. This also includes verifying that project deliverables and the project work are in line with the requirements for final acceptance.
Frequency: ongoing
6) Project Resource Management
Plan Resource Management
This process is about defining how the team and physical resources will be estimated, acquired, managed, and used during the project.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Estimate Activity Resources
This process contains the estimation of the team headcount and physical resources that are needed to perform project work.
Frequency: recurring, when necessary
Acquire Resources
In this process, team members are hired and on-boarded and physical resources are acquired. This includes the selection of sources as well as the assignment of resources to specific activities.
Frequency: when necessary
Develop Team
This process aims to improve skills and competencies, interactions and the environment of project teams in order to enhance the overall project performance.
Frequency: ongoing
Manage Team
This process includes performance tracking, feedback, and management of changes and adjustments to the project team.
Frequency: ongoing
Control Resources
This process helps ensure that the physical resources are available and utilized as planned. This may also include corrective actions if required.
Frequency: ongoing
7) Project Communications Management
Plan Communications Management
In this process, the approach and plan for project communications are developed. Thereby, stakeholders’ and the project’s information needs as well as available organizational assets are taken into account.
Frequency: recurring, when necessary
Manage Communications
Manage communications is the ongoing process of ensuring timely and appropriate communication in order to facilitate an efficient and effective information flow between the project team and stakeholders.
Frequency: ongoing
Monitor Communications
This process makes sure that the information needs of the project and the stakeholders are met properly and timely.
Frequency: ongoing
8) Project Risk Management
Plan Risk Management
This process comprises the planning of risk management activities for the project which includes tailoring of risk management considerations to the individual situation.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Identify Risks
This process focuses on identifying and documenting individual risks as well as sources of overall project risks.
Frequency: ongoing
Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis
In the process of qualitative risk analysis, the probability and the potential impact of individual project risks are assessed, which is the basis for their prioritization.
Frequency: ongoing
Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis
This process consists of statistical analyses (e.g. Monte Carlo simulation) of identified individual project risks and other sources of ambiguity or uncertainty. This is typically not applied to small or less critical projects.
Frequency: ongoing
Plan Risk Responses
In this process, the ways to address overall and individual project risks are identified and assessed, incl. definition of activities as potential risk responses.
Frequency: ongoing
Implement Risk Responses
This process is conducted when risks require a response, i.e. the previously selected risk responses (activities) are implemented.
Frequency: ongoing
Monitor Risks
In this process, risk responses and identified risks are monitored and tracked. In addition, new risks are identified and assessed.
Frequency: ongoing
9) Project Procurement Management
Plan Procurement Management
Planning procurement management includes documenting the way project procurement decisions are made, specifying the approach and identifying potential sellers.
Frequency: once or at specified points during the project
Conduct Procurements
This process comprises selecting a seller and implementing the agreements and contracts for delivery.
Frequency: recurring, when necessary
Control Procurements
In this process, procurement relationships are managed and contract performance is monitored. This may also extend to changes and corrections as well as closing out contracts.
Frequency: when necessary
10) Project Stakeholder Management
Identify Stakeholders
This process implies identifying stakeholders and their respective interests, involvement, power, and potential impact on the project.
Frequency: recurring, when necessary
Plan Stakeholder Engagement
This planning process is about developing how to involve stakeholders and how to interact effectively with them during the project.
Frequency: recurring, when necessary
Manage Stakeholder Engagement
The management of stakeholder engagement includes communicating and working with stakeholders to meet their needs and expectations. The goal of this process is to ensure their support and reduce resistance from stakeholders.
Frequency: ongoing
Monitor Stakeholder Engagement
This process describes the monitoring of relationships and the adjustment of strategies in order to engage stakeholders in an optimal way.
Frequency: ongoing